Mortal Gods
by hellantroy5567
Summary: They'll kill me. They'll kill us. They'll take my head as a present, for I resist their power. They won't let us live, if they get the chance to make us die. They are evil. They are beautiful. They will be the death of us. He will be the death of me.
1. Not Coming Home

Chapter 1

I hold my hand over Lillian's mouth; I feel her tears resting on the side of my hand. She's scared. I can't blame her. Her first run in with a real live vampire, no matter how much you think you're prepared for it, you are always caught off guard.

Lillian's breath slowly began to even out and I removed my hand and touched her cheek. She was shaking.

"I'm so sorry Celeste… I- I thought I could do it but… I just… I just…" she burst out sobbing.

"This is a level ten vampire Lillian, there is nothing to be ashamed of. This can be a learning experience, don't hunt what you can't beat unless you have no other option." I help her up and hug her, "Let's go, mom and dad are probably freaking out right now."

She hugs me and we wander back into the woods, toward out temporary home until we have to leave. Most likely, tomorrow.

We sit down just as Father walks in looking tired.

"Another level ten today dad." I look at him anxiously and he sighs.

"They must be really desperate to kill us."

Lillian chokes on her water and mother runs over, "What is it Lillian?"

"I… tried to kill it on my own… Celeste saved me…"

"Lillian Jane Cross!" father was furious, "Why would you do something so selfish, arrogant, and stupid! You both could have been killed! I am no loosing you too to the vampires!"

"Yes papa…" Lillian muttered and got up and walks into a corner and fell asleep.

I walk outside, "I'm going to get wood for arrows." I jog into the woods trying to clear my head.

I lean over and examine a long slender stick then I tense up hearing the crackle of leaves behind me.

I pull my staff from behind my back and quickly connect the two rods. There behind me stands a boy. And this boy was beautiful. And this boy was dangerous.

The brightness of his eyes, the specific red that seemed to be more bright then other vampires and the cocky arrogant air around him subtests he's a royal. A prince perhaps.

"Going to fight me human girl?" He raised the palm of his hand.

I am in a bad situation… they have powers, he can kill me but most likely he'll torture me for information before that happy ending. But I won't go down without a fight.

"What? Are you a mute? I didn't think hunters could be mutes."

He looked bored, "You going to attack me or are we going to do this the easy way?"

Slowly I pointed the tip of my staff directly at his chest. He grins.

"So, no easy way then. Just the way I like it." He licks his lips showing off his glistening fangs.

I feel myself jolt then turn and stare up into the tree directly into Lillian's bright blue eyes. She readies a dagger and I turn hitting the prince then quickly sprint up the tree and grab Lillian around the waist.

"What are you doing here?!" I jump onto the nearest tree holding her tightly gripping my staff,  
"That's a royal! Do you understand the situation?!"

"Celeste!" I hear her shriek and I turn kicks a normal vampire off the tree branch and pushing he up against the trunk, shielding her completely with my body. Lillian shrieks as vampires attack from all directions until there's a break in the assault.

Bloody and beaten I stand there, gasping for breath but clutching my staff, ready for anything.

The royal boy walks gracefully on the tree branch looking down at me like I'm a pitiful animal. Then glancing back at Lillian, he speaks, "That's your sister? She certainly is pretty. For a human, but I don't really think she compares to you when you aren't bloody."

I feel my blood start to boil and I whisper to Lillian to grab onto me. She does as she's told gripping my shoulders and wrapping her legs around my waist.

"You really think I'll let you get away?" He raises the palm of my hand and I feel a sharp and sudden pain in my head, like something was pushing in to try and take over my mind.

While he's focused on my brain and act, tripping him off the branch, climbing rapidly and leaping from tree to tree, dodging the vampires desperately.

We escape and I set her down in the cave and slump against the wall holding my head. And Lillian curls up in a ball shocked.

I pull myself together and walk over hugging her tightly, "It's alright… It's alright… it's going to be alright…"

"I'm so sorry… it's my fault you're bleeding… I'm so sorry Celeste!" She bursts out sobbing.

I lay my hands on her cheat and push a sweaty lock of blonde hair off her forehead, "All that matters is that we are both alive. You scared me so much… what were you doing there."

"I followed you… and I saw him so I climbed the tree."

"You scared me so much…" I clutched her, reminding myself that she was still alive, and so were mother and father, and so am I, "I thought you were going to die…"

She shook in my arms, my tiny beautiful fragile sister. She witnessed more death and despair then a girl of her age should.

I hear a voice behind me and quickly turn shoving Lillian farther behind me again. He stood there grinning.

"So touching. So sweet, now, let's comply so this poor girl can be put out of her misery quickly."

"You won't touch her without killing me one thousand times!"

"That can be arranged."

I heard Lillian start screaming, her voice shrill and full of pain and agony. I turn and see her contorting in pain. Quickly I attack him, flipping over him and gripping his head, I slam him into wall. Lillian top screaming but her eyes are full of fear.

I spin tripping him and holding the end of my staff to his neck I feel my face burning with pure rage, a rage that is never felt but when you watch a loved one suffer.

He looks at me in surprise, "So you can do more than fight pathetic vampires and look pretty."

I swear there was a voice in my head, my own, but not mine that said _Kill him, let him suffer, let him feel the wrath of Cross._I lower my staff, "Get out of here vermin." I spit at him and he scrambles up brushing the dirt form his fancy silk suit.

He looks at me then over to Lillian. In a second he's next to her. How could I be so stupid! I should have killed him when I had the chance.

"You know, this little girl would make a bit of a tasty snack."

Lillian cowers and grips her dagger in front of her. He laughs looking at the blade then at me, "Your move."

I slide a throwing knife down my arm and glance behind me, sensing the presence of more vampires.

"Celeste… I'm sorry…" Before I can even move she grips he dagger and stabs herself in the heart, within moments I can tell she's dead.

I feel myself tense up. No, no, no, no, no!

My mind goes numb and I start fighting with all my senses but sight, fighting relentlessly not caring if I die. I feel my min slipping but I force through it, grabbing her body and running from the cave.

I run until I can no longer run, I walk until I can no longer walk. All the while into the night checking her body for a pulse. All the while, realizing it's hopeless. It's nearly down when I stop and set her down. I can't bring myself to leave her. She died for me, she died to save me because she knew if they had her I would be helpless.

I lean over her and whisper "In the name of all that is good I leave you, in the honor of God and all those who are pure you died, I promise to avenge every drop of blood that hast spilt upon the ground from your body. I promise to avenge you, I will not die until I do."

Then I lean down and kiss her on the fore head. I pour water from my flask into her mouth and lay her dagger across her body, folding her hands over it and closing her eyes I lay he against the tree.

Once the ritual is complete I stand and slide three fingers across my forehead then two down from my hair line to chin. I take mud from the wet earth near the base of the tree and draw this mark on her forehead, "We are bound my sister."

I stand and stare at her, tears welling up in my eyes. I can't leave her… but the vampire forces will be upon me soon, I have to move.

I grip the rest of her weapons and attach them to my belt and my vest, grab my staff and start walking towards the sunset, away from Lillian.


	2. The Second Time

_Author's note- Sorry this chapter is short, the next one will be better I promise :)_

* * *

I stand surrounded. The vampires hiss and snarl at me from every angle and the royal boy looks at me questioningly, "How is it, after your sister's suicide and your parent's capture you still have the energy to fight?"

I feel the familiar tug in my brain telling me he was attempting to infiltrate my nerves. My wrists twists and I feel myself flung to the ground, after hours of him doing this to me he finally broke my concentration. I lost this round. But, is this the end of the war?

He leans over and grips my chin forcing me to meet his gaze, "You didn't think you could resist me forever. Did you?"

He drops my head and I feel my consciousness slip away.

"Ow…" I rub my head and sit up suddenly, "Where…."

I look around at the cell bars and the steel door. Someone's voice echoed from the adjacent cell.

"Celeste? Is Lillian really… i-is she really…"

"She's dead…" I whisper and look across the hall at mother's tear stained face, "the royal… he had her and she… she knew they would get me two if they had her because if I did anything they'd kill her and she… she…"

"She what Celeste?" Dad looked at me from next to Mom.

"She committed suicide… stabbed herself… in the heart. I preformed the ceremony on her body… left her by a tree…" I can't cry… I cannot cry not here. Not in front of them.

"Oh Lillian…" Mom burst out sobbing and father held her close. I now noticed how frail they both looked, scars, scratches and bruises littered her face and father didn't look much better. Actually, he looks a lot worse.

I push a lock of my light brown hair back and stare into mother's eyes. She looks away and collapses.

"Mother!" I push against the wall seeing Father to collapse. What is going on?!

"Oh calm down, they aren't dead." I've never heard that voice but it wasn't smooth enough to be a vampire. It was too raspy and humane to be like their angelic tones.

A tall lean boy stands there holding a dagger, the keys, and an unconscious vampire. His black hair was tied back in a ponytail at the nape of his neck and a few strands escaped onto his scarred face. His entire body, from the neck down, was covered with an odd metal mesh that seemed flexible and he seemed more like a knight then someone who would stand against the vampires.

He looked down at me and I clenched my fists.

"Now, is that any way to treat your rescuer?"

"I don't know who you think you are but what the hell did you do to my parents?!"

"Darts."

"Why?"

"'cause they aren't coming with us."

"Then neither am I."

"I'll knock you out two if that's the case."

"Try. I dare you." I look into his eyes, defiant. He looks down at me and sighs. A swift motion of his finger and in an instant I caught the dart between two of my fingers.

"So you aren't just a pretty face." He looked at me somewhat impressed and I threw the dart aside.

"Go stuff yourself."

"Feisty huh?" I heard metallic clanging and voices coming from the hall. He turns and more men wearing matching armor run down each holding a weapon from swords to bows to staffs to knives.

"Let's go, they'll be down here soon." Said a man, he grabbed the keys and unlocked my door. I stand there and raise my eyebrows.

"We don't have time for this!" The guy with the sword yells irritated. I just walk over and sit on the cot.

They all glare at me for a while until I hear hissing from the stairs and shrug, "I think that's your que."

"Would u just get out of there!" One of them men walks in and grabs my arm

I felt myself moving without thinking, slamming him into wall, jumping and kicking his face until he was bleeding. Immensely.

I stood there and looked down at him, "I expected more."

"Just come." The other guy looked at me.

"Make me."

Three of them walked in a grabbed my arms, the last chained them behind my back. I started fighting, if they think I'm just going to stand there and let them take me then they are delusional.

One of them hits me over the head and I feel the dull ache. My conscious slips. Again.


	3. Who are they?

_Lillian's gruesome death at her own hand. Blood trickling from the wound. She looks at me, touches my tear stained face._

_ "Celeste… I did this for the better. Do not mourn me."_

_ I tried to answer but something blocked my voice, she started to fade and I reached out to grab her. _

_ Mother and Father replaced her. _

_ "Honey, we are with her. She is no longer alone." Mother looked at me, blood trickled down her face and puddled beneath her. The blood… it was tears_

_ "My beautiful daughter, keep fighting. Do not let them kill you." Father reached out and touched my cheek. Then they started to fade._

_ I saw a shadow, It launched and grabbed my neck, the hands closed and started squeezing, I reached and gripped her neck. I caught a glimpse of… me. _

_ "Wake up! This isn't a dream! Celeste this isn't a dream!" The voice was not mine though it came from her. It sounded like mine though… isn't a dream. Isn't a dream?!_

I shot up, there were finger marks on my neck and someone was yelling and scratching back away from me. A girl.. a girl who looked exactly like me.

Three of the knights were pinning her to the ground but she fought like mad. She hated me, but she was me. One of the knights was checking my throat.

"No bad injuries, she'll be fine. You were asleep and that girl… came out of nowhere and strangled you."

"Wh-who…" I was shaken, I had seen her in my dream and she became a reality. I had seen and talked to my dead sister and my parents.

"What's wrong?"

"I-I saw her… in my dream she… she yelled at me to wake up… after I…" Words failed to come out of my mouth by the sheer panic clear on my face and my shaking hands. Vampires didn't scare me. Thunder nor lightning did any more than startle me. To be scared because of a dream… That was discouraging from me as a vampire hunter.

"After you?" He was being gentle because it was clear I was about to break. I felt like cracks were already racing over my body. I was glass, I was Lillian. So fragile, so breakable, and so defenseless.

"After I… t-talked to my sister and parents…"

"You have a sister?" He looked at me questioningly.

"Don't bother looking… she's dead. And I guess… so are my parents."

He looked startled that I could tell then he nodded gravely, "They are. Executed earlier today in front of a whole crowd of humans and vampires alike. Then the vampires ate what was left of their bodies."

"I see…"

I sighed and curled up into a ball. I laid my chin on my knees and tried not to cry. I'm alone now… But, atleast I'm alive. Though I find myself questioning, is it worth living…?

The knight pats my back awkwardly and I look at him out of the corner of my eye. Without his weird helmet thingy, he's actually pretty handsome… black hair and hazel eyes. His skin a perfect golden brown. All I can see is his face, no other part of body is shown through his armor. Wow… he's gorgeous.

I try not to stare and direct my gaze at a beetle climbing over a rock. I watch it fall upside down then a spider, a big spider, comes and with the beetle's defenselessness, the spider kills it easily.

Human's are the beetle… the spiders are coming to crush us.

Suddenly I jump up grabbing the sword from the knight and bolting up a tree.

"Huh?! Hey!" I hear yelling behind me but I stay focused. It's here… right there in the tree.

I stab a hollow spot in the tree and watch the sword go straight through. A loud screeching fills the air. I knew it… the sword was soaked in holy water.

Something reaches and claws at my neck, I grab the hand of the insane vampire and pin it to a tree, keeping myself far enough away that it couldn't catch me.

"Who is your bond!?" I yell at it and it hisses.

"He's at the castle…" It's voice sounds like a knife being dragged along glass. Screeching, raspy, demonic.

"You didn't!" I look frantically for some sign of a lie.

"Too late hunter!" It laughs, a sound like shattering glass, and then attacks me again.

I stab it then jumps from branch to branch until I get to the ground, "Ew… vampire guts…"

I hold the blood covered sword with guts, muscles, and vampire blood away from my face in disgust. I could have been a bit cleaner…

I just then notice, no one is talking or even moving, even the restrained girl looks at me in amazement.

"What?"

"How did you…" sir gorgeous looks at me, then the sword, then back at me, "like… 6th sence or something?"

"I'm a huntress it's only natural," I toss him the sword, "you might want to clean that."

"But you… climbed a tree holding this and you…"

"Befuzzeled sir Charles? The fair princess can fight." I give a curtsy

"My name is Luke…"

"Whatever," I crack mu knuckles, "If you'll excuse me I'm leaving now. Good luck surviving without me."

"No you're not." The guy in gold armor walks up to me. Gawd he's tall, but he can't intimidate me that easily.

"I didn't know the knights hired trees for soldiers?"

"You aren't going anywhere Celeste Cross."

"Who's going to stop me?"

"I will if necessary. Or we can just release her." He motioned to the crazy vampire girl still being restrained, "Can you survive without a weapon?"

I've got one. But I didn't tell him yet that I stole his sword.

"Go stuff yourself." I turned and started walking into the woods.

"Stop her now!" I heard him yell and I sensed people approaching me. I scramble up a tree and leap over their heads from branch to branch.

"I order you, get her. You have her same skill set."

"Fine." A voice I don't recognize. I'd better be careful; if it's another hunter then he can kill or capture me. Probably has more weapons than I do.

I leapt from the top of a high oak into a lake, far below a steep cliff. They'd be insane to follow me. Now that I think about it, I'm insane to do this. CRAP!

The water envelopes my body like the rush of a tornado all around me. I drag myself onto the bank.

Those waves had beaten me around like a feather.

I sit up and feel my belt for the sword I had stolen. Oh hell… I lost it in the water.

I run around the edge of the lake hoping it wasn't too deep. When I caught a glimpse of silver I jumped in.

The water squeezes my lungs as I swim down faster. Deeper…deeper… deeper.

To my dismay the sword is lodged between two rocks. I have to lift the 200 pound boulder to give my some room.

I need air. I need air desperately. I swim up and gasp then dive down again grabbing the hilt of the sword and pulling. It comes free but I'm already choking. I can't make it up, I'm sinking not floating.

This is it… I'm going to die… this is the end of the Cross family.


	4. Paladins, Hunters, and a twin

**_Sorry, another short chapter. Thank you those who have reviewed and viewed me. Thanks!_**

* * *

A fire… Burning wood, strong hands holding me. And the hilt of a sword, strongly clasped in my hand. But the hilt… it felt odd, a design was patterned on it. Not like the one I stole from the knight. Had I grabbed the wrong sword?

"Are you awake?" a man's voice, vampire.

I moved my hand closer to my neck.

"I'm not one of that types of vampires, you don't have to worry."

I opened my eyes and looked at my hands, there were pale and shaking.

"You nearly drowned."

"Let go of me."

"You'll freeze, it's a blizzard out there."

"I don't care let go." I struggled but I couldn't get his strong arms off of me.

"Calm down, this is the only way you will survive the night."

"Shut up! I don't care if I die!"

"You are the last living member of the Cross family, it is your duty to live! Do not be so reckless!"

"What's so good about my family?!"

"Your family is one of the last families of only hunters."

I look at him. How does he know? Why does he care?

"Just let go of me…" I whisper.

"No."

Eventually I give up but I stay tense. The noise outside soon calms down, he gets up and walks to the entrance of the small hut. He looks out, "Looks like it's slowed down."

I sneak over to the corner and pick up cloak then some weapons.

"Don't try to run, it'll flare up again."

"I don't care."

He's by my side and gripping my wrists.

"Let go of me!" I yell fighting. He holds me not letting me escape, gripping me tightly in his strong beautiful arms. He opens his mouth and I see the fangs. I headbutt him and shove off him with both feet.

"Definitely you are a hunter. But you cut yourself."

I look at my hand, he knife I had been holding was covered in blood, a log gash ran across my hand and I looked back at the vampire. His eyes were tinted red.

I stared at him not moving and inch. Blood can make any vampire crazy, and this one is insanely fast…

"Are you trying to make me crazy?" he ran his hands through his hand agitated.

"Brian you're scaring her."

The vampire who looked exactly like me…

"Sarah just because you are her twin doesn't mean you have any right to—"

"Twin?!" I look at Sarah freaking out. She tried to kill me!

"Mom and dad told you about me right? The one that was 'lost'?"

"They never said you were my twin but… why the hell were you trying to kill me? And where the hell am I anyways?!"

"We saved you from the lake, that knife is actually a heirloom of the cross hunter's family." Brian looked at my blood covered hand.

"Shut up." I ripped a part of my leggings off and wrapped my hand quickly.

Slowly, Brian's and Sarah's eyes began to fade to the normal sunlight yellow of vampires. I was disgusted. Saved by vampires, pathetic.

"I'm leaving." I picked up the knife and fastened my cloak.

"No you won't." Someone grabbed my wrist and I turned putting the knife to Sarah's neck, "In the interest of avoiding the paladins please remain with us."

"Paladins?"

"They are holy knights; they take hunters and force them to breed. Then train the children in their ways."

"I'm going to take my chances." I pulled my wrist out of Sarah's grasp and opened the door. Within seconds someone had jumped down next to me. I kicked him and threw the other hunter against the tree then ran.

Footsteps behind me.

Knives wizzing past my head.

Darts.

Arrows.

I run clutching my cloak around me. I quickly gain distance from the cottage and into the mountains.


End file.
